Mary Catherine Seipel

Mary Catherine Seipel, aged 90, of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2026, at AngelsGrace Hospice. Born in Manitowoc on December 8, 1935, to Harvey and Johanna Krueger, Mary fell in love with farm life at a young age, always preferring the barn and the cows to household chores.

Her early adventures took her across Europe and to the US East Coast. She received a heartfelt call from the love of her life, Donald, that drew her back home to Wisconsin. The couple married in 1958.

Together, Mary and Don created a warm, inviting home for family and friends. Mary spoke with particular fondness about their time living on Pretty Lake, sharing endless stories of swimming, bonfires, and water skiing. Her passion for lake living has been passed down to her children and grand children. She was especially proud of driving the boat while the older kids waterskied and the younger ones napped under the bow.

This love for lake living eventually evolved into a family business, Barefoot International, where Mary worked as a bill collector and affectionately earned the nickname "The Whip."

Mary’s tenacity, humor, and deep devotion to her large family leaves behind a legacy of laughter, lively gatherings, and love. A brief obituary cannot fully sum up ninety years of a well-lived life. Mary was a devoted mother and grandmother who was fiercely loyal and possessed a witty sense of humor. Guided by a profound faith, she attended Mass, Bible studies, and faithfully signed her notes and cards: "We love you and so does Jesus, Mom and Dad."

Mary is survived by her children Anne (Mark) Bretl, Mike (Gwen) Seipel, John (Kim) Seipel, Robert (Laura) Seipel, Mary Beth (Ricci) Baranczyk, Kathleen Seipel and Lisa (Mark) James; her grandchildren Brandon (Sahar) Bretl, Bradley (Shelby) Bretl, Brittany (Jon) Befus, Kimmy (Ben) Schuster, Brooke (Casey) Stringer, Ashley (Kenny) Stopar, Ben (Andrea) Seipel, Frank (Libby) Seipel, Leo (Lizzy) Seipel, Andrea Seipel, Max (Maddy) Baranczyk, Jed Baranczyk, Jo Baranczyk and Adam Seipel; great-grandchildren Hannah, Mayla, Effie, Wynn, Jack, Dylan, Rustin, Emmett, Bella, Bailey, Finley and Bodie; siblings Joan (Joe) Groh, Hilary (Nadine) Krueger and Janice (Tom) Lebakken; along with her beloved Seipel in-laws, other family and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband Donald; sons Matthew and Mark; brothers Clem (Joan) and Jackie Krueger; and sister-in-law MaryAnn Krueger.

The family would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful staff at AngelsGrace Hospice during her final days and to the dedicated team at Aurora Medical Center-Summit, especially Dr. James Gatto, Dr. Robert Panther, and Dr. Lubna Majeed-Haqqi.Kathleen's siblings would like to acknowledge their gratitude to both Kathleen and Adam for the exceptional care they offered "gma" as her main caretakers.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to AngelsGrace Hospice in Mary's name are welcome.

Mary will be buried next to her husband Donald and twin sons Matthew and Mark at St. Bruno Cemetery in Dousman. Family and friends are invited to gather at Pagenkopf Funeral Home to celebrate Mary's life and her homecoming into Heaven (located at 2228 N. Silver Maple Lane, Oconomowoc, WI 53066). Visitation is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by a service officiated by Fr. Ryan Ackmann.